I know you weren't supposed to think about it for too long, but...

...no The Right Stuff?!? I mean, I know it's not as firsthand as the other NASA stuff, but Tom Wolfe's book is hilarious, details-filled, insightful, and over far too soon.

CR: "...no The Right Stuff?!? I mean, I know it's not as firsthand as the other NASA stuff, but Tom Wolfe's book is hilarious, details-filled, insightful, and over far too soon."

I admit I've never read it. I have thought about it. If I did, it still might not make the top fifteen, but I'm sure it's an excellent book. I am more drawn to first hand accounts, even if they aren't as well-written. I'm the guy who downloaded the Apollo 11 flight plan to read, for fun. Nerdy . . .

1. Bible - #1 Best Seller all-time, had to see what the hype was about
2. "The Tower Treasure" -Dixon - first of 50+ Hardy Boy books I read.....reason I love reading
3. "This Present Darkness" - Peretti - don't get my theology from it, but found it very captivating in my 20s
4. "Desiring God" - Piper - the notion of being a Christian Hedonist (basking in the joy of Christ) was actually very controversial when it came out.....people forget Piper was ahead of his time.
5. "Principle of Position" - Stanford - another book ahead of its time about position in Christ, back when no one knew what that was
6. "Born Again" - Colson - I like his writing style and all his anecdotes
7. "Kingdoms in Conflict" - Colson - 3 chapters on Wilburforce worth the price of the whole book
8. "Diary of Green Bay Packer" - Kramer - introduced us to "Lombardi Time" and is a throwback to when athletes didn't write tell all trash
9. "Mere Christianity" - Lewis.....stands up over time better than any apologetic book out there
10. "Tuesdays With Maurie" - Albom - made me cry hard......
11. "The Prodigal God" - Keller - reshaped my thinking more than anything else in last 10 years
12. "Reason for God" - Keller.....I'm a fanboy - it is layed out extremely well
13. "Jane Eyre" - Bronte - most virtuous character I've come across in any book
14. "Patriot Games" - Clancy - my favorite Clancy - found this book enthralling from start to finish....movie was a huge let down
15. "Les Miserables" - Hugo - (abridged) its hard to get through, but it is my favorite fiction story of all-time.

Has anyone read "Peace Like a River" by Leif Engor? One of the best stories since "To Kill a Mockingbird".

1) Bible
2) Lord of the Rings - Tolkien
3) The Silmarillion - Tolkien - Especially the story of Beren & Luthien
4) Boy's Life - McCammon - "We ran like wild young furies, where angels feared to tread. The woods were dark and deep. Before us demons fled. We filled up life with living, with grins, scabbed knees, and noise. In glass I see an older man, but this book's for the boys."
5) Mere Christianity - Lewis
6) The Great Divorce - Lewis
7) Till We Have Faces - Lewis
8) Orthodoxy - Chesterton
9) The Road Less Traveled - Peck
10) Harry Potter - Rowling
11) Animal Farm - Orwell
12) The Road to Serfdom - Hayek
13) Lilith - MacDonald
14) How People Change - Wheelis
15) The Brothers Karamazov - Dostoyevsky

No particular order...just as fast and coherent in 15 minutes.

1. Mere Christianity
2. Who You Are When No One is Looking-Hybels
3. Alas, Babylon
4. Death by Meeting-Lencioni
5. Pet Semetary
6. Cujo
7. Rainbow Six-Clancy
8. Watchmen(Graphic Novel) Moore/Gibbons
9. Lone Survivor-Luttrell
10. Black Hawk Down-Bowden
11. The Serpent and the Rainbow-Davis
12. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
13. The Barbarian Way-McManus
14. Term Limits-Flynn
15. The Dark Knight(Graphic Novel)-Frank Miller

It is safe to assume that the Bible stands alone far above the top 15.

And just for discussion's sake-

16. Wild at Heart
17. This Present Darkness
18. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
19. Jurassic Park
20. We Were Soldiers

1) Watership Down – I read this book every year at least once a year during high school. The story of these rabbits and the darkness in their lives was startling to me.

2) Mere Christianity – This is my favorite CS Lewis non-fiction book. I love his arguments, but more so the tone.

3) The Hobbit – This is hands down the best Middle Earth book. At least from a story perspective. Can’t wait to see how it looks on the screen.

4) Cool Hand Luke – One of my favorite movies, I picked up the book a year or so ago and have read it at least twice. The use of language and dialog is fantastic.

5) All Creatures Great and Small – English country vet James Herriot’s adventures, this was another of those “read until the covers fall off” books.

6) On Writing – The best book on the craft I’ve read.

7) The Stand – While not my favorite King novel it is the most epic and it’s the one that stands out.

8 ) Farenheit 451 – The first Bradbury novel that jumped to mind. I read sooooo many of his books while growing up.

9) 1984 – I read this in middle shcool for the first time. I didn’t “get” it all then naturally, but what I did get scared me.

10) Huck Finn – Perhaps my favorite Twain novel. Read most of his stuff growing up many times over.

11) The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – I almost didn’t think of this one. It certainly tickles my funny and sci-fi bones at the same time.

12) The Count of Monte Cristo – Love this story and actually enjoy the movie made of it in 2002 quite a bit.

13) The Horse and His Boy – My favorite Narnia story.

14) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Another of my re-re-re-re-read books.

15) The Martian Chronicles – This is perhaps my favorite Bradbury collection.

The Right Stuff was written with the stated purpose of what would make an otherwise sane man sit on top of a giant missile, light the fuse, and hold on.

So there isn't any invented plot, or overarching narrative themes, or any of the main hallmarks of well-constructed historical fiction. Just a lot of scenes, each one well-supported by fact, but with details imagined where necessary to make it vivid.

III,

Andrew sums up well the worshipful aspects of Perelandra for me.

Thirsty Bear:

And just for discussion's sake-

16. Wild at Heart

Can I, as a man, state firmly what I thought of that book?

What an unbiblical pile of dreck. From the first misquote of scripture on the first page to every misapplication of scripture throughout . . .

Do you find that WAH squares with the Bible? In what way?

[I think this is the part where you punch me in the face :-) ]

Thirsty Bear - I view the Potter books like the LOTR books, as all one story. I think the writing in them is pretty consistent and don't have particular favorites out of the seven.

I always like reading these lists of books for ideas. Although it has always looked like something I'd like, I've never gotten around to reading Watership Down. That one will now go on my list.

I also read Peace Like a River 4-5 years ago, but can't say it was memorable for me. I remember it was beautifully written, but I am hard pressed already to remember much of what it was about.

Heh, I'm down with that :-)

In no particular order, and not counting the Bible because I hope that's obvious:

1. Don Miller, Blue Like Jazz - I know a lot of you guys don't like it, and I can see why, but I read this at a point where it was exactly what I needed to hear from someone in the church, so it's just stuck with me.

2. Michael Ward, Planet Narnia - If you have not read this, it will completely rock the way you read C.S. Lewis's fiction.

3. C.S. Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - My favorite of the Narniad.

4. David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas - I read this my sophomore year of college and it completely messed with the way I read books. It's structurally insane, but it completely works.

5. Flannery O'Connor, The Violent Bear It Away - I used to hate Flannery O'Connor before I read this one.

6. Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie - This sowed the seeds of my interest in both how countries are built, travel narratives, and in domestic politics. Seriously. This, all when I was about 8.

7. Christopher Vogler, The Writer's Journey - My introduction to the idea of metanarratives.

8. Lauren Winner, Girl Meets God - Why I know more about Judaism than a Korean Presbyterian should probably know. ;)

9. John Piper, Don't Waste Your Life - Still trying to live up to that title.

10. Thornton Wilder, Our Town

11. Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

12. Barbara Kingsolver, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

13. Walter Wangerin, Jr., The Book of God

14. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

15. Madeleine L'Engle, Walking On Water

I compared "Peace Like a River" to "To Kill a Mockingbird" because the stories are told in a very similar way; Very adult and horrible events are witnessed by the narrating child, yet somehow the character maintains it's innocence. There is a definite spiritual thread in both. And the presence, influence and wisdom of a righteous, loving father overshadows and permeates both books. Atticus and Jeremiah, although not main characters are two of the most memorable I've ever read.
Thanks for the honesty about Wild at Heart. I got on an Eldridge kick a few years ago till I noticed he said some dangerous things. At the end of one book, he recommended the reader struggling in their faith to just stay out of church for a year or two to get their head on straight, or something like that. Great way to get devoured.
Thanks for all the lists, all, I wrote many of the titles down to check out.

Just for the record, I loved Wild at Heart. Perhaps that was due to the way it dealt with my personal psychological needs. But it spoke to my heart, and did not (as far as I know) injure my orthodoxy. Perhaps it would be different for others.

Just for the record, I loved Wild at Heart. Perhaps that was due to the way it dealt with my personal psychological needs. But it spoke to my heart, and did not (as far as I know) injure my orthodoxy. Perhaps it would be different for others.

Lars, I'm glad it was helpful to you. I know that, for a lot of men, WAH was a healing read.

That being said, it wasn't for me, and I've never understood why anyone ever thought it was a Biblical read, or a particularly Godly read.

I've brought this up in the past (search the Wild at Heart category). Generally, in the past, I would be told by WAH devotees (after them first saying how it was the most important book they'd ever read) that I was a wuss and a coward for not liking it. :-) I think some of the heat has gone out of the argument (although Thirsty still hasn't commented. He's probably going to call me a wuss and a coward. And, compared to his SEAL-trained self (true story, according to Blo) I probably am :-)

I'm glad it was helpful to you. I found some gems in the book, but couldn't get past the bathwater (to mix a metaphor).

Bob Sacramento, that's a tough question for several reasons. For one, I don't feel like I "know" or "understand" the Brothers Karamazov to nearly the same degree that I do some of the other books on my (or even other people's list). For another, it's hard to give a reply that isn't either too short or too rambling.

For me, the Brothers Karamazov was a sprawling, intellectual and spiritual adventure. Full of interesting, fascinating, frustrating characters and ideas and conversations and certain scenes that stayed with me even if I forgot what led up to them or followed from them. I didn't so much understand it or think about it, as *experience* it. It's definitely not an easy read, and there are large parts of it I don't remember. I'm sure a modern editor would chop a third to half of it out. Reading it is enough of a commitment and challenge that I have never re-read it in its entirety, although I plan to.

This is from the Wikipedia article on the book:

"James Joyce noted that, "Tolstoy admired him [Dostoevsky] but he thought that he had little artistic accomplishment or mind. Yet, as he said, 'he admired his heart', a criticism which contains a great deal of truth, for though his characters do act extravagantly, madly, almost, still their basis is firm enough underneath... The Brothers Karamazov... made a deep impression on me... he created some unforgettable scenes [detail]... Madness you may call it, but therein may be the secret of his genius... I prefer the word exaltation, exaltation which can merge into madness, perhaps. In fact all great men have had that vein in them; it was the source of their greatness; the reasonable man achieves nothing."

Maybe you can help me out. I read TBK a few years ago. I thought it was a good story and, in places, absolutely brilliant. But, when trying to put the whole thing together, I just wasn't really sure what I was left with, if you know what I mean. I felt pretty dumb. Any thoughts on what I was missing.

Bob,

If you don't mind, I'd like to take a swing at your question, because Karamazov was on my list too (I didn't post it here).

Don't feel dumb, because it's a whole lot to swallow. And I won't say you were "missing" anything. :-)

I'm a HUGE Dostoevsky fan, and over the years, reading and re-reading his other works, as well as learning a lot about his life helped my understanding of TBK a lot. I won't write a dissertation right now, but hopefully something I say answers your question on some level.

The book spends a lot of time delving into the idea of finding the miraculous in the mundane. Alyosha's mother baptizing him in light, the German doctor showing Christ-like kindness to Dmitri as a child, Zosima's whole life, Alyosha and the young boys forming what amounts to a kind of church in the wake of Illyusha's death at the end of the novel... This is a theme that runs through most of Dostoevsky's work - the idea that Christ is moving in this world, among us, and we often don't notice it. In this light, a lot of the scenes that seem fairly minor become, for lack of a better term, miraculous.

I think the key conflict in the novel is set up between Zosima and Ivan. Zosima teaches that sin is a universal burden, and that we share responsibility for the sins of our neighbors. Our burden is for all our neighbors, and we are to carry them in their sin, in a sense, embodying the Incarnation. (BTW, Zosima is a character who I think was Dostoevsky's attempt to perfect the character of Myshkin in The Idiot. I know they are both long books, but it helps to have read both books to really understand this character. Or it did for me, anyway.)

Ivan, on the other hand, basically believes in nothing. He is a "lover of humanity" in the abstract, but views most of his peers with contempt. He rejects God, on the grounds that free-will was too hard a burden to bear for Men and that all suffering is ultimately God's folly. He wants to be sublime, and denies he has any shared responsibility or culpability in the sins of others. In the end, this leads him to madness. The conversations with Smerdyakov in the 11th book of the novel completely tear down everything he believes and lead him, whether right or wrong, to believe he bears responsibility for his father's death. The scene where he talks to the Devil in his mind, besides being one of the best scenes in all literature, really brings the character of Ivan full circle and illustrates the spiritual death he's experiencing.

Of course, one could literally write thousands of pages on the book (and thousands of pages have been written), and there is so much more. Karl mentioned that a modern editor would likely cut out a third of the book, and he's right, though I think it's a shame, because Dostoevsky, more than any other writer of his time, was able to pull beauty and weight out of every detail.

Anyways, I hope I could help, if even just a little.

Andrew, that was great. Just to be clear, when I said that a modern editor would cut out a third of TBK, I didn't mean to suggest that I would agree with such a decision. As with other sprawling works like Middlemarch, Kristin Lavransdatter, War and Peace etc. the length and sprawling discursive grandeur is part of the richness of the experience. But it does come at a price - significant effort. At least for me, initially. I had a sense with TBK of encountering a work that was far bigger than me - substanially more than I could take in and absorb and process over the course of one reading.

Karl,

I assumed that was what you meant.

At least for me, initially. I had a sense with TBK of encountering a work that was far bigger than me - substanially more than I could take in and absorb and process over the course of one reading.

I had that feeling, too, at first. It went away as I began to realize just how human the novel really was.

Karl, Andrew,

Thanks very much for your help with my question. I didn't expect such detail and erudition! If I can ever get around to reading TBK again, I will keep your comments in mind.

I'll be happy to return the favor. If you ever have any questions about the thematic content of Robert Ludlum's work, just let me know. :)

Bob, I tried to read Knowing a few years ago and it didn't snag me. I always felt sort of like a spiritual loser for that reason. It means a lot to so many. It's like the Citizen Kane of Christian books, always on the list.

Hey, I like Knowing God--it'd be in my top 20 list, maybe.

Wild at Heart was the catalyst for me to seek Biblical Manhood. It stuck with me and still does today.

And that's a good thing. I've been gratified, however, to see what appears to be a somewhat lessened ferver among the "Swing your (fake and unused) sword around while singing songs like 'Grow a Pair'" version of Christian manhood rallies. I'm hopeful we can all grow towards Biblical manhood.

I didn't see much to like in WAH. Perhaps I'm wrong, but it didn't seem Biblical at all. From pronouncements such as "Your heart is good!", to ridiculous interpretations of the book of Ruth, misquotings from Proverbs, suspect applications of some of the sayings of Jesus, etc, it just seemed very, very "off" to me.

Judging by the sales of the book and the fanatical followers it engendered, I realize I'm in the minority here.

Bill-it appears WaH should have made your first 15. Made an impression.

Has anyone heard from Blo?

Ha ha.

Eldredge also spent a good deal of time slamming Godly people like Mr. Rogers and Mother Theresa ...

I don't know which side of the argument this supports, but before Fred Rogers became "Mr. Rogers", he was an ordained Presbyterian minister. And before that, he was a U.S. Marine!

I don't know what kind of military training Mother Theresa might have had. But she was apparently pretty tough.

Fun fact: Blo used to teach WAH.

Blo is the Phantom of the WAHpera.

Michele

Good point (although I hadn't seen the "God = She" thing before). I don't know that much about Mr Rogers' faith, and I understand (though I don't completely agree) your Mother Theresa take.

But with Eldredge, it was just the ridiculousness of the whole "I don't want to be Mr. Rogers! I want to be William Wallace!"

William Wallace (at least the Hollywood version) isn't real. It's a movie. Duuuuh . . . :-)

I guess we actually agree. I think it's silly how many Christians relate to William Wallace, (or in truth, Mel Gibson acting really, really brave). We have the funniest heroes.

Wasn't Alyosha a monk? Sorry.

Ok this looked like too much fun to sit and lurk.
These are the books that have "stayed with me" meaning I still think about things I read in them from from time to time or they impacted me greatly when I read them.... Thanks for asking.
1. The Bible
2. Mere Christianity CS Lewis
3. A Touch of Wonder Arther Gordon
4 Gone with the Wind Margaret Mitchell
5 To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee all the characters: Atticus Finch, BOO, Scout, Dill, the housekeeper, Jewel and even the rabid dog
6 Les Miserables Victor Hugo-First book to make me cry
7.Le Petite Prince Antoine de Saint-Exupéry - read it in French, "apprivoiser" and the concept of being tamed and forming bonds.
8.House at Pooh Corner/When We Were Six AA Milane "Nanny let my beetle out!"
9. A Prayer for Owen Meany John Irving- chapter 8 The finger... owie
10. Little Women Louisa May Alcott- my sisters gave me a hardback copy when I was 30 and I cried like a Baby when I read it..
11. Any of the Gibbie series by George Mcdonald
12. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn- read it my Jr Year in high school;it took away my innocence.
13 Night Eli Wiesel- read it last year, words fail me here.
14. A Walk Across America Peter Jenkins- Peter was very kind once to me and a student of mine
15. Narnia CS Lewis ( but of course)
and one to grow on
16 Come Share the Being Bob Benson

There are two companion stories of Gibbie and his friend Donal: The Baronet's Song and The Shephard's Castle. Maybe that is how the editor, Michael Phillips, broke up a bigger volume about Sir Gibbie?

I know most of you probably don't care, since George MacDonald is slightly a universalist, but for those of you who have heard MacDonald's name (probably in reference to C.S. Lewis), but haven't read any of his stuff, here's my recommended GMac reading. The first five are essential reads to give you a feel on MacDonald, but the other five are still worth reading.


1. Lilith (fantasy)
2. Wee Sir Gibbie, aka The Baronet's Song (novel)
3. The Highlander's Last Song (novel)
4. The sermon "Consuming Fire" (although beware, his theology is a little off. But he's got some good stuff to say--you can get it free online if you want)
5. The Princess and the Goblin (fantasy)
6. The Princess and Curdie (fantasy...sequel to 5)
7. The Marquis' Secret (novel)
8. At the Back of the North Wind (fantasy)
9. Peasant Girl's Dream (don't be misled by the tile, this is not a chic flick, just a good novel)
10. Phantastes (fantasy--according to Lewis, it was the beginning of his awakening that ultimately led to his conversion)

Michele:
Thanks for telling me that! I kind of remember hearing that once before. I loved Dill so much because I had cousins from a tiny town in Mississippi that I played with and related to in much the same ways.

I hope Truman Capote did NOT write TKAM becasue it would make my Harper Lee signed copy less valuable--I like TKAM so much I have a first edition copy, a copy of the screen play,the dvd, an older taped version, and a t shirt from the stage play in addition to the signed copy; All displayed on a dedicted shelf in my bookcase. I should have remembered that about Truman Capote. Thanks for reminding me!